Drug Tests FAQ Part 2

Here you will find answers to commonly asked questions about drug tests and drug use, details which can help determine how our drug tests can work for you.

If you have any further questions, please contact our customer support, we will do our best to answer them.

If a drug test is positive, can you determine how long ago the drug was taken and over what period of time?
No. Drug of abuse testing by blood, urine, or saliva can only detect whether or not a specific drug or drug metabolite is present at the time the test is performed. While there are very broad estimates (see chart above) as to how long a particular drug may have been in the system, no fluid based drug test, regardless of method, is intended to include a time variable. Many factors unique to the individual being tested determine the actual half-life of the particular drug including such variables as age, weight, sex, metabolic rate, overall health, amount of drug consumed over what period of time, etc. Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn as to when a particular drug was taken or how much was consumed with these types of drug of abuse tests. A forensic hair core analysis for drugs can be utilized to determine historical drug use up to 90 days. See the PDT-90™ forensic drug testing service.

What does THC mean?
THC is an abbreviation for 11-nor-delta9 Tetrahydrocannibinol-9-carboxylic acid, the primary metabolite of Marijuana. Marijuana is a hallucinogenic agent derived from the leaves, flowers or seeds of the hemp plant. In general, the production and "curing" of the marijuana plant into its useable form closely resembles that of tobacco. Marijuana is almost always smoked and inhaled into the lungs where it is quickly metabolized (or changed) by the body into 11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid which is excreted in the urine.

What is the difference between Methamphetamine and Amphetamine?
Both amphetamine and methamphetamine are potent symphathominetic agents. Methamphetamine is the parent drug. It metabolizes (or changes) into amphetamine in the body. Methamphetamine and/or amphetamine are excreted in the urine. A positive result for Amphetamine can also be interpreted as a positive test for methamphetamine.

What is the difference between heroin and morphine?
Heroin, morphine and codeine are opiates derived from the resin of the opium poppy. Heroin is quickly metabolized to morphine. The body also changes codeine (used in some cold medicines) to morphine. Thus, the presence of morphine in the urine indicates heroin, morphine and/or codeine use.

What is the difference between morphine, heroin and codeine?
Chemically speaking - nothing. All three of these drugs are derived from opium or the opium chemical structure and are in the Opiate class of drugs. The difference is primarily in the manner in which opium is refined or synthetically manufactured and the form and method of delivery.

What does PCP mean?
PCP is an abbreviation of phencyclidine which is an arylcyclohexylamine. One street name is "angel dust".

What is Ecstasy?
Ecstasy (MDMA) has recently become a popular recreational drug among teenagers and young adults. Ecstasy is refined processed form of amphetamine with a chemical structure closely resembling methamphetamine. Any test with a target screen for methamphetamine should detect Ecstasy.

What drugs could interfere and cause a positive morphine (opiates) test?
Codeine and Meperidine are structurally related to morphine therefore causing positive results. Codeine is a commonly prescribed pain medication and is also the active ingredient in some prescription cough medicines. These forms of codeine can also be addictive and abused.

What should I do if there is no control line appearing when I perform the test?
Repeat the test, carefully following the written procedure. The most common cause for a control line not developing or appearing is failure to add sufficient urine sample to complete full migration through the test panels. 93.8% of reported incidents regarding unexpected results, lack of a control line or test integrity are the result of user error or test contamination at the point of testing.

How long can the urine specimen be stored before testing ?
Specimens can be stored in refrigerators at 2 to 8° C for up to two (2) days (48 hours) or frozen at 0° C, before testing. However, it is strongly recommend testing the sample as soon as possible after collection.

What will the control region look like if the test is working ?
The control line should always appear regardless of the presence of drugs or metabolites. If the control line does not appear then all results are invalid.

Will commonly ingested substances such as vitamins, penicillin, aspirin, caffeine and acetaminophen (Tylenol), affect the results?
No. The tests are drug and drug metabolite specific. Because these commonly ingested substances are chemically and structurally different after metabolized by the body from the drugs being tested for, they will under most circumstances not interfere with or compromise test results.

My teenager has a positive test for opiates but claims eating poppy seed bagels or other food products containing poppy seeds. Can this happen?
If the sensitivity cutoff level of the test is the revised standard of 2000 ng/ml OPI, this is not possible. Sensitivity standards were raised in 2000 from 300 ng/ml to 2000 ng/ml OPI to eliminate the possibility of false positive results that were possible from consumption of large quantities of poppy seeds or poppy seed paste at the lower sensitivity level.

My teenager tests positive for THC but claims exposure to "second hand smoke". Is this possible?
No. Urine concentrations of THC above the cutoff sensitivity level of the test, or a positive result, are not possible by exposure to second hand smoke.